Voluntary Sterilization for Childfree Women

Abstract

Approximately 47 percent of women ages fifteen to forty-four are currently without children, and slightly more than 20 percent of white women in America will never bear children, the highest percentage in modern history. Many fertile women who are childless are voluntarily so. Although any competent person twenty-one years or older is legally eligible for voluntary sterilization, many doctors refuse to sterilize childfree women. This essay explores various reasons a woman would want to continue in her childfree lifestyle, evaluates the accessibility of sterilization for women who are childfree by examining the reported reasons for denial of sterilization-both from the woman's and the physician's perspective-and assesses the legal status of voluntary sterilization for nonparous women. The essay also urges physicians to follow recommended guidelines for counseling women who, regardless of parity, desire sterilization and to provide this contraception if, after careful consideration, there are no outstanding health or other reasons that the procedure should not be performed.

Sex in Medicine: What Stands in the Way of Credibility?

“…Anecdotally, I have heard it many times from other childfree females in heterosexual relationships. And although there is a paucity of scientific research on this issue, a recent study by Richie (2013) for the Hastings Center (an independent, nonpartisan bioethics and public policy research center) echoes this. In the course of her research, Richie writes, she did not encounter a single story of a woman granted sterilization upon first request.…”

“…Medical professionals appear to be more knowledgeable about female subjects' bodies and 'authentic' states of mind, given the oft cited reasons for refusing sterilization: one is too young or has too few children; therefore, one is likely to change one's mind and regret the procedure in the future (Richie 2013). Reflecting this, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that ''[w]omen who have completed their childbearing are candidates for sterilization '' (2013, 395).…”

What is it to Share Contraceptive Responsibility?

“…Paternalistically, physicians may not trust a woman's judgement, believing that the woman will one day ''change her mind'' and ''thank'' them for not performing the surgery. Alternatively, physicians may be unwilling to risk the possibility of a childfree woman's later regret (or a nonconsenting spouse's anger) weighing on their consciences (Richie 2013). Either way, women are denied the authority to make their own reproductive decisions.…”

Towards responsible ejaculations: the moral imperative for male contraceptive responsibility

“…Cite as: Shahvisi, Arianne, Toward responsible ejaculations: the moral imperative for male contraceptive responsibility, Journal of Medical Ethics (forthcoming) 13 argue that it is morally right that those who can be vaccinated agree to do so in order to better protect those who cannot, and who are likely to suffer most if infected. 17 It would seem unreasonable to instead insist that vulnerable groups avoid normal social behaviour (e.g. interacting with others) which increase their risk of infection, or that they be required to take regular medication with serious side effects which allows them to stay healthy without requiring others to take on any burden.…”

“…It is likely to affect a woman's ability to work, and may cause her to experience discrimination. 18 There are several ways of preventing women from contracting the disease: (a) women refrain from an activity that most consider to be important to human flourishing; (b) women wear protective gear, take long-term medications to minimise their risk, or provide protective gear for men; (c) men 17 That also has the advantage of working towards the elimination of the general risk by contributing to the drastic reduction of the pathogen within the population if herd immunity is attained. 18 Shulamith Firestone famously described pregnancy as "barbaric" [43]; Kraft argues that pregnancy should be seen as a harm, though it does not necessarily follow that a woman is wronged if she becomes pregnant [44].…”